History Radio / TheFrantics

* EvilLawyerJoke: Presumably why the lawyer in "Last Will And Temperament" [[DisproportionateRetribution got a live, rabid Tasmanian Devil in his trousers]] instead of a boot to the head like everyone else; he must have done ''something'' to deserve it.

* KickTheSonOfABitch: The "boot to the head" that [[GoldDigger Jenny, Hank]], [[TheSlacker He]][[TheAlcoholic dge]] and [[SpoiledBrat Ralston]] received are more or less literal examples. Subverted with Mrs. Mulroy, [[KickTheDog who did nothing to deserve it]].

* EvilLawyerJoke: Presumably why the lawyer in "Last Will And Testament" [[DisproportionateRetribution got a live, rabid Tasmanian Devil in his trousers]] instead of a boot to the head like everyone else; he must have done ''something'' to deserve it.

Four-man comedy troupe known for a wild but intellectual style highly reminiscent of ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'', but with a uniquely Canadian flavor. Formed in the late 1970s, the group stayed together until the late 1980s, followed by a reunion in 2004. The core members of The Frantics are Paul Chato, Rick Green, Dan Redican and Peter Wildman, but like their spiritual predecessors, two women can be counted among their unofficial membership -- Mag Ruffman and Carolyn Scott.

* BaitAndSwitch: "Last Will and Temperament", when TheAlcoholic brother Hedge is given 3 crates of whiskey and the wine cellar... and ''then'' is bequeathed [[RunningGag a boot to the head]].

* HurricaneOfPuns :In "You Were Speeding", mixing the terminologies of thought/education and driving/ticketing.

* PassedOverInheritance: Everyone of Arthur Muldoon's relatives in "Last Will and Temperament". Though Arthur does leave them all a lifetime supply of ice cream. [[spoiler:It's "boot to the head" flavored.]]

After their attempts at television success, the Frantics returned to radio for several short series, including a spoof of ''Literature/AnneOfGreenGables'' in 1987 and 1988's eight-part ''The Frantics Look at History'', after which they appear to have gone their separate ways until their 2004 reunion. In between their radio and television efforts, they released several [=CDs=] of their sketches and songs. Several of their tracks got extensive play on the syndicated ''DrDemento'' radio show in the 1980s, spurring the birth of an American following for the group.

Their trademark was off-the-wall and often surreal sketches that took advantage of power of radio and audio recordings to produce imagery that would have been too expensive or simply impossible in a visual medium, such as the tales of their Canadian superhero, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YLLaOyQfx8 Mr. Canoehead]], who had had an aluminum canoe [[LightningCanDoAnything welded to his head by a lightning bolt]]. (Attempts to recreate these sketches on television only reduced their comedic impact.) Their comedy was never dumbed down -- in fact, they respected and depended upon the intelligence of the audience, as seen in their sketches [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWNmqdLmAfc "You Were Speeding"]] and [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=aAa2UeuIMu0 "Human Race"]]. They were also talented musicians, as demonstrated by their numerous novelty songs. They are perhaps best known for their routines [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5kGUW6M7W0 "Last Will and Temperament"]] and "Ti Kwan Leep", both of which make frequent use of their most famous CatchPhrase, "Boot to the head!"

%%* GambitRoulette: A burglary sketch on ''Four On The Floor''.

* PetTheDog: Arthur Muldoon of "Last Will and Temperament" gives boots to the head to literally everyone he knows (except his lawyer, [[CoolAndUnusualPunishment who got a rabid Tasmanian Devil in his trousers]]), but he does end up giving his entire ten million dollar fortune to the good people of Calgary [[TakeThat so they can]] [[WretchedHive move somewhere decent]]!

* KickTheSonOfABitch: The "boot to the head" that [[GoldDigger Jenny, Hank]], [[TheSlacker He]][[TheAlcoholicdge]] and [[SpoiledBrat Ralston]] received are more or less literal examples. Subverted with Mrs. Mulroy, [[KickTheDog who did nothing to deserve it]].

* KickTheSonOfABitch: The "boot to the head" that [[GoldDigger Jenny, Hank]], [[TheSlacker Hedge]] and [[SpoiledBrat Ralston]] received are more or less literal examples. Subverted with Mrs. Mulroy, [[KickTheDog who did nothing to deserve it]].

* PassedOverInheritance: Every one of Arthur Muldoon's relatives in "Last Will and Temperament." Though Arthur does leave them all a lifetime supply of ice cream. [[spoiler:It's "boot to the head" flavored.]]

* PetTheDog: Arthur Muldoon of "Last Will and Temperament" gives boots to the head to literally everyone he knows (except his lawyer, [[CoolAndUnusualPunishment who got a rabid Tasmanian Devil in his trousers]]), but he does end up giving his entire ten million dollar fortune to the good people of Calgary...[[TakeThat so they can]] [[WretchedHive move somewhere decent]]!
* PlaceWorseThanDeath: "And so I leave my entire estate of ten million to [[spoiler:the people of Calgary so they can afford to move someplace decent]]."

* TheScrappy: In-universe; Mr. Muldoon ''really'' hated his sister Jenny and her wimpy husband Hank. Not without reason, mind you, since they were very obviously {{Gold Digger}}s.

** Arthur Durham Muldoon, the late gentleman whose will is read in "Last Will And Temperament," can count as well. Giving the "nasty" family members a boot to the head is one thing. But when the one who read the will, who had nothing to do with the family antics, [[DisproportionateRetribution was given "a rabid Tasmanian Devil... to be placed in his trousers?!]] [[TheScream AAAAGH!!]]" And everyone else who are not in the skit gets a lifetime supply of ice cream... boot-to-the-head flavored. Mrs. Mulroy in particular did nothing to deserve this treatment. Quite the opposite, in fact; she was the one person who treated Arthur with constant respect and kindness, and even says she doesn't want anything of Arthur's. She gets a boot to the head like everyone else.

* DangerouslyGenreSavvy: Arthur Muldoon. At first, it looks his he's going to leave his drunkard brother Hedge nothing but a boot to the head, but Arthur leaves Hedge his wine cellar and three crates of his finest whiskey. As soon as Hedge lets his guard down, ''then'' he gets a boot to the head.

* GenreSavvy: To some degree, Hedge in "Last Will and Temperament." After his sister and her husband get boots to the head, he covers his own head when his name comes up and needs to be lured off-guard with an actual non-boot bequest. When the lawyer announces a final inheritance for everyone he promptly warns them to cover their heads as well. There's also Arthur's "know-it-all nephew Ralston", who just keeps declaring how predictable everything is even as he's getting a boot to the head.

* HorseRacing: Parodied in "The Human Race"

* {{Homage}}: Writers of ''[[RanmaOneHalf Ranma 1/2]]'' {{fanfic}}tion love referencing, or even incorporating whole, the "Ti Kwan Leep" sketch. And Website/YouTube has videos of martial arts classes playing out ''Ti Kwan Leep''. Some versions include an extended slow motion fight scene between the Master and the students.

* ApprovalOfGod: The Frantics have seen [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFldBVWFgWo the Phoenix Wright version]] of their sketch. They're reported to have really enjoyed it.

-->Customer: How much is "forty-four" in real numbers?
-->Shopkeeper: XLIV [[note]]pronounced "ex-ell-eye-vee"[[/note]].
-->Customer: Well why don't you just '''say''' XLIV? Who can remember "forty-four?"

* FunnyBruceLeeNoises: Made by Ed Gruberman in "Ti Kwan Leep".
* GenreSavvy: To some degree, Hedge in "Last Will and Temperament." After his sister and her husband get boots to the head, he covers his own head when his name comes up and needs to be lured off-guard with an actual non-boot bequest. When the lawyer announces a final inheritance for everyone he promptly warns them to cover their heads as well.
** There's also Arthur's "know-it-all nephew Royce", who just keeps declaring how predictable everything is even as he's getting a boot to the head.

* {{Homage}}: Writers of ''[[RanmaOneHalf Ranma 1/2]]'' {{fanfic}}tion love referencing, or even incorporating whole, the "Ti Kwan Leep" sketch.
** And Website/YouTube has videos of martial arts classes playing out ''Ti Kwan Leep''. Some versions include an extended slow motion fight scene between the Master and the students.

* {{Jerkass}}: Ed Gruberman of "Ti Kwan Leep".
** Arthur Durham Muldoon, the late gentleman whose will is read in "Last Will And Temperament," can count as well. Giving the "nasty" family members a boot to the head is one thing. But when the one who read the will, who had nothing to do with the family antics, [[DisproportionateRetribution was given "a rabid Tasmanian Devil... to be placed in his trousers?!]] [[TheScream AAAAGH!!]]" And everyone else who are not in the skit gets a lifetime supply of ice cream... boot-to-the-head flavored.
*** Mrs. Mulroy did nothing to deserve this treatment. Quite the opposite, in fact; she was the one person who treated Arthur with constant respect and kindness, and even says she doesn't want anything of Arthur's. She gets a boot to the head like everyone else.
* KarmaHoudini: Hedge, the alcoholic brother from "Last Will And Temperament", counts a little. Everyone else (even the sweet Mrs. Mulroy) gets nothing but a Boot To The Head. Hedge is not exempt from this, but actually gets something - Muldoon's wine cellar and three crates of fine whiskey.
** Possibly because Hedge is unrepentantly honest about who and what he is, not even bothering at the reading of his brother's will to disguise that he is anxious to head to the nearest bar. With all the dishonest money-grubbers around, Muldoon probably found his attitude refreshing.
* KickTheSonOfABitch: The "boot to the head" that [[GoldDigger Jenny, Hank]], [[TheSlacker Hedge]] and [[SpoiledBrat Roulston]] received are more or less literal examples. Subverted with Mrs. Mulroy, [[KickTheDog who did nothing to deserve it]].

* OhCrap: The second student from "Ti Kwan Leep," who tries to get in the first shot and...

-->"And so, to my cat Mittens, I leave my entire, vast *{{beat}}* boot to the head." <whump!> "[[ThatPoorCat NREEEEEEEOW]]!!!!"

** Arthur Durham Muldoon, the late gentleman whose will is read in "Last Will And Temperament," can count as well. Giving the "nasty" family members a boot to the head is one thing. But when the one who read the will, who had nothing to do with the family antics, [[DisproportionateRetribution was given a rabid Tasmanian Devil... to be placed in his trousers... EEUUGGH!!]] And everyone else who are not in the skit gets a lifetime supply of ice cream... boot-to-the-head flavored.
*** Mrs. Mulroy did nothing to deserve this treatment. Quite the opposite, in fact. The Lawyer could possibly fall under the heading of "He's a lawyer, he did ''something'' to deserve this".

** Arthur Durham Muldoon, the late gentleman whose will is read in "Last Will And Temperament," can count as well. Giving the "nasty" family members a boot to the head is one thing. But when the one who read the will, who had nothing to do with the family antics, [[DisproportionateRetribution was given a Tasmanian Devil... to be placed in his trousers... EEUUGGH!!]] And everyone else who are not in the skit gets a lifetime supply of ice cream... boot-to-the-head flavored.

* BigShutUp: Practically Columbus's CatchPhrase in "Columbus Discovers America".